Longhorns Fans- Don't Hate

Hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. For you fathers out there, I trust your sons and daughter got you the Colts Super Bowl DVD for Father's Day and not another bottle of Old Spice.

My article talking about Pete Prisco's over-rated, under-rated got featured on SB Nation's new main portal. This means that the U. of Texas fans saw the title, and oh brother did they hit the site. Naturally, they weren't too happy with me agreeing with Pete's assessment that Vince Young is highly over-rated. Even BON's headmaster, the immortal Peter Bean, chimed in:

Wow. So, in order to be "taken seriously," I should sing the praises of a QB that throws more INTs than TDs and completes only 51% of his passes? Listen, I like Peter and enjoy the writing on his site: Burnt Orange Nation. We often joke about our opinions about Vince Young. The one thing I always tell Peter, or any other Texas fan, is I totally see the enormous talent and potential Vince Young offers. However, talent and potential mean nothing in the NFL, especially at the end of the day. Ryan Leaf had tremendous talent and potential. His problem was he was an idiot. Jeff George was the same. Man, could that guy sling a football! He could throw a 70 yard TD on a frozen rope. Amazing talent. Did it matter? No, he sucked. A QB with 1/5 of George's talent (Jim Harbaugh) did more to win games in Indy than Jeff ever did.

I also reference Kordell Stewart, another explosive QB who could wow you with his athletic ability. The guy played three positions one season.  However, as a QB, he stunk. Despite his amazing skills, Kordell couldn't read a defense. This led to his downfall. He's now doing Pros v. Joes for Spike TV. Lord have mercy.

Don't believe the hype, kids.

Quarterbacking is more than talent, "explosiveness," or athletic ability. In the NFL, it is 95% mental. This is why guys like Chad Pennington (no arm, limited mobility, not very athletic) are better QBs right now than Vince Young. Pennington is able to throw the ball, with velocity and accuracy, from the pocket. Equally important, he's able to read defenses, look off safeties, and run complicated offenses with multiple personnel packages. Vince Young hasn't done that yet. He ran a very, very, VERY dumbed down offense last year that simply will not cut it this year. Teams have figured out Vince (look what New England did to him). Unless he shows that he can read a defense and make throws from the pocket, Vince is another Michael Vick or Kordell Stewart waiting to happen. In college, you can get by and even excel with just raw ability. In the NFL, you better know what you're doing, or you'll end up looking like this on Sunday:

The one thing I'll say about Vince is that, unlike Vick, he isn't lazy. Vince is a hard worker. I personally don't get all worked up over players working hard though. That's what they are supposed to do. They are paid a lot of money to play a game for a living. They damn well better work hard, and if they aren't I don't want them on the team I pay over $250 to see! That said, it is worth noting that Vince has a desire to get better, and if you are a Vince Young fan that gives you hope.

Still the difference between having the potential to play great at QB and actually doing it is a wide gulf. Until Vince Young shows me he can do the things I've stressed, I can't call him a good quarterback. If this opinion makes me unpopular, look silly, and open to ridicule... then fine. When I said last season the Colts were going to win the Super Bowl despite having a defense that gave up 173 rushing yards a game, people laughed and dismissed me then.

Where are those people now? Likely, they're still living with their mother and writing for Cold Hard Football Facts. By the way, any writer who tries to use CHFF to ridicule or belittle my opinions is probably someone who should not get taken seriously. From CHFF, circa March 2006:

Do I even need to follow up?

Bottom line, Vince Young isn't a good QB until he proves it, and if people are threatened or insulted by that opinion, then I don't know what to tell them. If or when Vince does prove he can throw a football accurately, I'll be one of the first to sing his praises as an elite NFL QB. I don't hate him or anything because he plays for the Titans. I have nothing against players who play for division rivals. I always loved and respected Steve McNair's game even when the Colts were kicking his ass from 2003-2005. Remember, most people here at Stampede Blue aren't saying Vince won't develop into a good QB. We simply question the hype because the he hasn't yet played well as a QB yet. Until he does, he sits at the kiddie table. If this opinion is not to be taken seriously by Texas fans, then so be it.

Unlike longhorns, we don't run with the herd.

Moo

 

Update [2007-6-18 13:23:15 by BigBlueShoe]: For the record, I totally believe Peter Bean should be taken seriously. He's one of the better bloggers in the sphere. I just like throwing comments back at people. I'm sure Peter will now bash me into submission, forcing me to watch Vince Young highlights, A Clockwork Orange-style.